The National Weather Service along with the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division have declared Thursday, November 10th as Winter Weather Awareness Day in Nebraska and Iowa.

Winter Weather Forecast Terms: The following are some of the winter weather forecast terms you will hear. Know what these terms mean and how you should prepare and respond to each situation…..

A WINTER STORM WATCH is an advance forecast notice that hazardous weather such as a blizzard, heavy snow, or an ice storm may develop. You should not become unduly alarmed, however be aware the threat exists and monitor forecasts and statements.

A HEAVY SNOW WARNING is the forecast of snowfall of 6 inches or more in 12 hours or 8 inches or more in 24 hours.

An ICE STORM WARNING is the forecast of life threatening and damaging accumulations of ice, when rain freezes on contact with surfaces. Driving and walking can be extremely hazardous.

Winter weather advisories are issued for less serious winter weather conditions that cause significant inconvenience and if caution is not exercised, could lead to situations that might threaten lift or property. Winter weather advisories may be issued for such events as snow, blowing snow, freezing rain, and freezing drizzle.

There’s an urgent call for Iowa families to open their homes to take in foster children and to adopt. Bambi Schrader, recruitment supervisor for Iowa KidsNet, says there’s a critical need for families to shelter sibling groups, teenagers and children who are older than eight-years-old. “We have about 4,000 children in the foster care system,” Schrader says. “In 2015, there were 2,560 children referred into foster care. Unfortunately, we only have about 2,100 foster homes across our state right now so we’re in desperate need.”

There’s a continual waiting list for children in Iowa seeking “forever homes.” “A lot of times children are waiting longer in shelters or residential treatments or unsafe situations or there are being multiple children placed into a home where they might’ve only taken one or two children, now they have three or four,” Schrader says. “We want to make sure each child has their own unique home that meets their needs.”

For many children in foster care, it could take three years to be adopted. She says there’s a need for every type of family as kids come in all types. “We need everything from two-parent households to single-parent households, same-sex couples,” Schrader says. “We need some older couples that maybe aren’t looking to adopt but would take an infant that we want to reunify.”

Private adoptions may take several years and tens of thousands of dollars, but she says state adoptions through Iowa KidsNet are essentially free. The adoption process may take six months and it includes a home study, 30-hours of classwork and a background check. “Having lots of money or having a nice, fancy home is not what the kids need,” Schrader says. “They need people who care about them. They need people who love them. They need people to be there after school and people who will say, ‘No, you’re wearing that to school. Go change your clothes,’ or put discipline into their lives. A lot of our kids don’t have that or when they do have it, it was done in a harmful way.”

More than 23,000 children age out of the foster care system nationwide every year. Last year in Iowa, 39 children aged out with no family or permanent home. Learn more at www.IowaKidsNet.com or by calling 800-243-0756.

(Radio Iowa)

A traffic stop this (Monday) morning in Red Oak resulted in a Clarinda man being arrested on drug and other charges. 25-year old K.C. Franklin Liles was arrested at around 1:30-a.m. for Possession of a Controlled Substance-Marijuana/2nd offense, and Driving While Suspended. Liles was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond.

A large number of police officers from across the county are expected to attend the funeral for the slain Des Moines police officer today (Monday). Hundreds of officers from across the country turned out in April for the funerals of two Des Moines officers who were killed in an accident with a drunk driver.  Des Moines Police Department spokesman, Sergeant Paul Parizek, says they are expecting many more officers for the funeral of Sergeant Tony Beminio today because of they way he died. Parizek says more departments send honor guards in these types of situation were officers are shot and killed in the line of duty.

Beminio’s funeral is at 11 a-m in West Des Moines, and then a long procession of police cars will escort his body across town to a Des Moines cemetery for burial.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak arrested a woman from Pottawattamie County, Sunday night. 27-year old Heather Lynn Lear, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 9:50-p.m., for Driving While License Suspended. Lear was being held at the Montgomery Law Enforcement Center on a $300 cash bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

ROCKWELL CITY, Iowa (AP) — Some Iowa landowners are raising concerns about the way workers are building an oil pipeline across their land, but backers of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline say the complaints don’t represent major problems with the project. The Des Moines Register reports some landowners along the pipeline route have filed complaints with local or state officials about things such as debris left behind after construction or cattle being released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republicans say they’ll have the pieces in place on Election Day to take control again of the Legislature. That is a long-standing goal that would enable them to alter Iowa’s legislative priorities next year and move unhindered on a conservative agenda. State GOP leaders are pointing to their party’s voter registration numbers in key district races as a sign of possible success on Tuesday to flip the state Senate. The party has been trying to take back the Senate for several years.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Briar Cliff University is dropping its plan to buy part of a Sioux City park for practice fields after some neighbors opposed the idea. University officials say it is putting its plan to use the park on hold because of the neighborhood concerns.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Officials say that since a new recycling program began in August in Davenport and Bettendorf, the amount of recyclables collected has increased more than 70 percent from the same three-month period last year. The Quad-City Times reports that officials are crediting a switch to the “Go All In” program that allows more types of plastic and paper containers to be recycled. Also, the system no longer requires sorting of recycled materials _ it all goes in one cart.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Briar Cliff University is dropping its plan to purchase part of a Sioux City park for its sports teams to practice on after some neighbors objected. The Sioux City Journal reports the university said Friday that it will end its effort to buy part of Headington Park.

The university had been talking with city officials about using four acres of the park as a practice field for its football and soccer teams. University officials said they believed their plan would have benefited the community, but they didn’t want to move forward over the objections.

While the Country will be focusing on the Presidential race during Tuesday’s General Election, Iowans will be voting on various Legislative and Congressional candidates as well as local and County offices. In the KJAN listening area, there are a few, locally contested races we’ll be watching for you.

In Cass County, two men from Griswold (Republican Steve Baier and Democrat Dana Kunze), are vying for a seat on the Cass County Board of Supervisors in District 4. Incumbent Republican Frank Waters, along with No Party candidates J. Ford Lillard and Randy J. Pollock, are each hoping to win the one, open District 5 seat on the Board of Supervisors.

In Adams County, Republican incumbent Sheriff Alan Johannes faces a challenge from one of his Deputies, Robert Lillie, who has No Party affiliation.

In Audubon County, incumbent Sheriff Todd W. Johnson, a No-party candidate, faces a challenge from one of his Deputies, Republican Brian Juelsgaard. Three men are running for two seats on the Audubon County Board of Supervisors: Republicans Todd M. Nelson and Rick Thompson, and Democrat LaVerne Bub Deist.

In Guthrie County, Republican Jack E. Lloyd and Democrat Jerome F. Caraher are competing for one seat on the Board of Supervisors in District 1, and, Republican Mike Dickson along with Democrat David Wood, are vying for one seat on the Board in District 5.  Two women, Republican Tristen Richard and Democrat Rhonda J. Miller, are each hoping to fill a vacancy position as Audubon County Recorder.

In Shelby County, Democrat Marsha J. Carter and Republican Mark L. Maxwell, are competing for the County Auditor’s job.

And, in Pottawattamie County, Republicans Marilyn Jo Drake and Tim Wichman, Democrats Marsha Pilger and Bartholomew Randolph, and No Party candidates Jake Driver and Lynn Grobe, are running for two open seats on the Board of Supervisors. Also in Pott. County, Republican Melvyn J. Houser, Democrat Dennis Keithley and No Party candidate Art Hill, are vying to become the County Auditor.

A reminder, the polls open at 7-a.m. and close at 9-p.m. If you have any questions about where to vote and what you need to bring with you to the polling center, contact your local county auditor’s office. We’ll have local results for you on KJAN as soon as they become available, along with updates on the Iowa legislative, congressional and presidential races, from Radio Iowa, and national election information from Fox News.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Republicans say they’ll have the pieces in place on Election Day to again take control of the state Legislature. The long-standing goal, if achieved, would enable the party to alter the state’s legislative priorities next year and move unhindered on a conservative agenda.

Sally Richter, with Richter and Sons towing, said Sunday a truck driver missing since Monday afternoon, has contacted the Denison Police Department and was on his way home. 66-year old James “Jim” Stirek had last been seen Monday afternoon in St. Mary’s, Ohio. His last fuel destination was Newton.

Details surrounding his disappearance were not immediately available.